David Stephens - The Honest History Book

THE

HONEST
HISTORY

BOOK

The Honest History group announced its arrival in 2013 with a clear, urgent purpose: to challenge the dominance of the Anzac legend in Australian popular memory. As the centenary of World War I approached, it seemed more important than ever to remind Australians not just of heroism and sacrifice, but of the social and political costs of war. Mythbusting and questioning, this book will challenge readers to think not only about the ways our national stories are told, but who funds them and for what purpose. Michelle Arrow

This book not only offers a vital corrective to the flimflams and taradiddles of Anzackery, but also gives us a new collection of fascinating essays on Australian history. Complex, inclusive, balanced, disruptive and crucially evidence-based, The Honest History Book is destined to provide a much-needed talking point for teachers, journalists, general readers and, with any luck, politicians and policy makers. A timely reminder that there is no such thing as post-truth history. Clare Wright

An important book, both timely and compelling: timely because it provides a powerful and much needed riposte to the current practice of elevating military history above all other aspects of the nations past. Henry Reynolds

Mark Twain once said that Australias history read like the most beautiful lies. The Honest History Book introduces some inconvenient truths. With so many contemporary debates involving appeals to history, the book concerns the present and future as well as the past, and invites the kind of contention that a confident country should welcome. Gideon Haigh

For the past 30 years Australians have been enchanted by the story of the heroic landing of our soldiers at Gallipoli and by a highly romanticised version of the century-long Anzac military tradition. The fascinating and vital question this outstanding and highly readable collection poses is whether an honest version of history can displace or modify the comforts and dangers of state-cultivated and politically motivated myth. The book would be excellent for high school students and undergraduates. Robert Manne

This is collective history at its finest. In promoting non-khaki stories of our history, The Honest History Book provides us with an invaluable perspective and a balanced approach to the past. Highly recommended. Melanie Oppenheimer

Fake history is as dangerous as fake news This has never been more apparent in Australia than during the Anzac revival, where the relentless focus on Australian military history has overshadowed the past contributions and experiences of other Australians. Honest history and The Honest History Book demands better. Martin Crotty

The Honest History Book delves into issues that are pertinent, painful and part of our wider story. It demands that we activate our critical thinking, not dull it down and accept what is written. I would be happy to recommend this book to any of my students, which is the greatest praise I can give. Matthew Esterman

The Honest History Book is an inspiration to think more broadly, to challenge preconceptions and serially authorised misrepresentations of our past. This is vital work as Australia rattles around trying to define some agreed notion of national self. Its a must-read for thinking Australians, for the great truth is that until we acknowledge, understand and face up to our past, well all be living a bit of a lie. Jonathan Green

Being honest about our own country is essential so that we can properly assess both our achievements and our shortcomings, our strengths and weaknesses. We cannot be a harmonious, confident Australia unless we are honest with ourselves about our history. John Menadue

For some years now the Honest History website has been doing historians a great service by presenting alternative views and encouraging debate about many aspects of Australian history that become obfuscated by myths and half-truths. The publication of The Honest History Book is timely during both the centenary of World War I and debates about the appropriateness of celebrating Australia Day. Here is a book that should be on the reading list in every tertiary Australian History course. Bobbie Oliver

What really matters in Australian history? Why has Anzac wielded such influence in our national conversation about the past? This book puts Anzac in its place, and offers stories and analysis that account for so much of Australian history that the Anzac spirit cannot explain. Christina Twomey

A NewSouth book

Published by
NewSouth Publishing
University of New South Wales Press Ltd
University of New South Wales
Sydney NSW 2052
AUSTRALIA
newsouthpublishing.com

in this edition David Stephens and Alison Broinowski 2017
in individual chapters is retained by the chapter authors 2017
First published 2017

This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this book may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Inquiries should be addressed to the publisher.

National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

Title: The Honest History Book / edited by David Stephens & Alison Broinowski.
ISBN: 9781742235264 (paperback)

9781742242781 (ebook)

9781742248257 (ePDF)

Subjects: Australia History.
Historiography Australia.
Militarism Australia History.
World War, 19141918.
Other Creators/Contributors: Stephens, David H. editor.
Broinowski, Alison, 1941 editor.

Design Avril Makula
Cover design Blue Cork
Cover images (top line) Vietnam moratorium march (SLSA); World War I soldier M. Donlan and his wife, 1914 (SLQ); Australian soldiers in field kitchen, World War I (SLV); Australian soldiers embarking, World War I (SLV); Aboriginal land rights demonstration, 1982 (SLQ); (bottom line) Children and horse on unidentified farm (SLV); Vita Goldstein (NLA); woman and child, 1940s (SLV); Judith Wright, c. 1946 (NLA); Nurmurkah floods, Victoria, 1917 (SLV); May and Sidney Louey Gung with grandchildren, Melbourne, c. 1949 (Museums Victoria).
All reasonable efforts were taken to obtain permission to use copyright material reproduced in this book, but in some cases copyright could not be traced. The author welcomes information in this regard.

Contents

Julianne Schultz

David Stephens & Alison Broinowski

Douglas Newton

Vicken Babkenian & Judith Crispin

Carolyn Holbrook

Michael Piggott

Mark Dapin

David Stephens & Burin akr

Frank Bongiorno

David Stephens

Rebecca Jones

Gwenda Tavan

Stuart Macintyre

Carmen Lawrence

Peter Stanley

Joy Damousi

Larissa Behrendt

Paul Daley

Mark McKenna

Alison Broinowski

Alison Broinowski & David Stephens

Contributors

Vicken Babkenian is an independent researcher for the Australian Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. He has written for peer-reviewed history journals, including the Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society, and is the co-author with Peter Stanley of Armenia, Australia & the Great War (2016).

Larissa Behrendt is a Eualeyai-Kamillaroi woman and holds the Chair of Indigenous Research at the University of Technology, Sydney. She is a broadcaster, award-winning novelist and Walkley-nominated film-maker. Her most recent book is